BSHS coaches ready for nice weather

Spring brings a new beginning to most things. Blooming flowers and trees, new grass, the realization that a person has given up on a New Year's resolution just in time to try to get into pool shape before summer.

It is also a time for a slew of sports to get started at Bonner Springs High School.

Baseball, softball, boys tennis, girls swimming and soccer, track and field and golf all kick off competition later this month.

There is one problem though; most of those sports are played outdoors and not easily played in the freezing weather that has struck Kansas lately.

The weather has made practicing outside difficult.

"This has been the toughest year out of my eight years in terms of getting the athletes outside," said BSHS Athletic Director Garold Baker. "We have great coaches that are very flexible in terms of where they practice. Baseball and softball are in the gym, tennis is at the middle school and track is in the hallway. But still, it has been a battle."

Bonner Springs high school is fortunate though to have enough space to accommodate all of its teams.

"(Surrounding High Schools) are even more crammed than us, we have a lot of extra room to pull this off, though getting outside is the key," he said.

Baseball coach Rick Moulin said that they have been outside a little bit.

"We've been doing bunt drills in the outfield grass, but we still have not got on the dirt yet," he said. "It has been very cold. We hope to get out there this week."

Baker said he is pleased with the number of students playing this season.

"We have about 170 students out for sports this spring," Baker said. "The middle school also had a large turnout - 140 kids went out for track alone."

Baker is excited for the games to begin.

"We have a lot of returning athletes from last year that will help lead us to success," he said "Everyone is upbeat."

The weather is expected to warm up this week, which should allow the teams to get outside and practice on the fields.

However, there is supposed to be rain later in the week. Baker jokingly said of the potential rainy spring, "We will have no rain-outs and no more snow."